Mezzanine & Preferred Equity Financing

Mezzanine and preferred equity fill the gap between senior debt and common equity in the commercial real estate capital stack. These subordinate capital positions allow borrowers to increase total leverage beyond what senior lenders provide, reducing the equity required for acquisitions, developments, and recapitalizations.

Get a Mezzanine Loan Quote →

Mezzanine & Preferred Equity at a Glance

Loan Amount
$1M - $50M+
Term
1 - 5 Years
Rates
10% - 18%
Position
Behind Senior Debt
Structure
Interest-Only or Accruing
Total Leverage
Up to 85-90% LTC

Mezzanine Debt & Preferred Equity Financing

Mezzanine debt is secured by a pledge of ownership interest in the borrowing entity rather than a mortgage lien on the property, while preferred equity involves an actual equity investment with a preferred return. Both serve a similar function — increasing leverage and reducing sponsor equity requirements. These structures are commonly used for value-add acquisitions, development projects, and recapitalizations where senior lenders cap at 65-75% LTV.

Lender Sources

  • Debt Funds
  • Private Equity Firms
  • Family Offices
  • Insurance Companies
  • Specialty Lenders

Ideal For

  • High-leverage acquisitions
  • Development projects needing additional capital
  • Value-add strategies with equity gap
  • Recapitalizations and cash-out scenarios
  • Joint venture equity structures
  • Portfolio-level capital solutions

Related Property Types

Mezzanine & Preferred Equity are available for all major commercial property types. Explore financing by property category.

Related Insights

Mezzanine & Preferred Equity FAQ

Mezzanine financing is subordinate debt that sits between senior mortgage debt and equity in the capital stack. Secured by a pledge of ownership interest rather than a property lien, mezzanine debt allows borrowers to increase total leverage to 80-90% of value while reducing their equity requirement.
Mezzanine debt is a loan secured by a pledge of the borrower's ownership interest, with fixed payments and foreclosure rights. Preferred equity is an actual equity investment with a preferred return, participating in ownership rather than lending. Both fill the gap between senior debt and common equity.
Mezzanine loan rates typically range from 10% to 18%, reflecting the higher risk position behind senior debt. Rates depend on the total leverage, property type, sponsor strength, and market conditions. Preferred equity returns are similar but may include additional upside participation.
Consider mezzanine financing when you need higher leverage than senior lenders will provide alone, want to reduce your equity requirement for an acquisition or development, are executing a value-add or development strategy, or need to recapitalize and pull equity from an existing property.
Yes. Most senior lenders require approval of any subordinate financing, including mezzanine debt. This involves an intercreditor agreement between the senior and mezzanine lenders that outlines rights, remedies, and priorities in the event of default.

Ready to Get Mezzanine Financing?

Contact CLS CRE for a free, no-obligation quote on mezzanine & preferred equity. We respond within 24 hours.

Request a Quote →
Or call us: 310.758.4042